(a) Indian tribes and tribal organizations

The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall make grants to or enter into contracts with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to assist such tribes and tribal organizations in establishing and administering programs on or near reservations and trust lands, including programs to provide outreach and enrollment through video, electronic delivery methods, or telecommunication devices that allow real-time or time-delayed communication between individual Indians and the benefit program, to assist individual Indians—

(1) to enroll for benefits under a program established under title XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.] and other health benefits programs; and

(2) with respect to such programs for which the charging of premiums and cost sharing is not prohibited under such programs, to pay premiums or cost sharing for coverage for such benefits, which may be based on financial need (as determined by the Indian tribe or tribes or tribal organizations being served based on a schedule of income levels developed or implemented by such tribe, tribes, or tribal organizations).

(b) Conditions

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The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall place conditions as deemed necessary to effect the purpose of this section in any grant or contract which the Secretary makes with any Indian tribe or tribal organization pursuant to this section. Such conditions shall include requirements that the Indian tribe or tribal organization successfully undertake—

(1) to determine the population of Indians eligible for the benefits described in subsection (a);

(2) to educate Indians with respect to the benefits available under the respective programs;

(3) to provide transportation for such individual Indians to the appropriate offices for enrollment or applications for such benefits; and

(4) to develop and implement methods of improving the participation of Indians in receiving benefits under such programs.

(c) Application to urban Indian organizations

(1) In general

The provisions of subsection (a) shall apply with respect to grants and other funding to urban Indian organizations with respect to populations served by such organizations in the same manner they apply to grants and contracts with Indian tribes and tribal organizations with respect to programs on or near reservations.

(2) Requirements

The Secretary shall include in the grants or contracts made or provided under paragraph (1) requirements that are—

(A) consistent with the requirements imposed by the Secretary under subsection (b);

(B) appropriate to urban Indian organizations and urban Indians; and

(C) necessary to effect the purposes of this section.

(d) Facilitating cooperation

The Secretary, acting through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall develop and disseminate best practices that will serve to facilitate cooperation with, and agreements between, States and the Service, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations with respect to the provision of health care items and services to Indians under the programs established under title XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.].

(e) Agreements relating to improving enrollment of Indians under Social Security Act health benefits programs

For provisions relating to agreements of the Secretary, acting through the Service, for the collection, preparation, and submission of applications by Indians for assistance under the Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs established under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.], and benefits under the Medicare program established under title XVIII of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], see subsections (a) and (b) of section 1139 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1320b-9].

(f) Definition of premiums and cost sharing

In this section:

(1) Premium

The term “premium” includes any enrollment fee or similar charge.

(2) Cost sharing

The term “cost sharing” includes any deduction, deductible, copayment, coinsurance, or similar charge.